


Andrew King and the Heart of Stone

by AndrewKing



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:55:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22148272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AndrewKing/pseuds/AndrewKing
Summary: The Heart of stone rests in the heart of Hogwarts untouched for many decades, until now. Andrew king aged eleven is faced with a challenge and a dark witch lesser than Voldemort called Demelza Murray.





	1. Fratricide

The minister of magic sat at a desk on the opposite side of the room from Demelza, staring off into the distance.

"The trial of Mrs Demelza Murray is about to begin, so I must ask that you all take your seat," the patter of feet echoed through the clean black and white chamber. No other sounds could be heard and all colours seemed muted except for a dot of pink in the middle of a sea of black robes and tired faces.  
"Are you ready to begin Mrs Murray?" the minister asked

"Yes, I think I am, Minister Fudge," Demelza told him. The minister removed his green bowler hat and placed it on the desk in front of him.

"Does the court have your permission to use veritaserum truth serum?" he asked

She said nothing, but instead nodded and looked around the room for the potion. when she saw the witch holding the bottle she held her mouth open and waited as the three drops were placed on her tongue.

"A test, just to see if it has worked," he took the hat off his desk and held it out at arm's length.

"What do you think of my hat?" he began putting it back on his head but was only halfway through when she stated loud and clear.

"It's ugly and it makes your head look far too big," she knew what she had said and had no regrets in regards to how it made him feel. Though it was clear he didn't take it well as he could be seen removing it slowly hoping no one noticed it, everyone did. He cleared his throat, though the actual reason he did it was unclear. He played it off as he got everyone's attention.

"Now the big question: did you or did you not kill your sister?" the eyes surrounding her felt like tiny daggers cutting into her. She felt a lump developing in her throat, but she eventually replied "yes", then utter silence and a struggle to fight back tears.

"Why did you kill her?"

She could only say, "I didn't mean to?"

"For the sake of the court could you tell us how she died?"

"We went to a cave," she told them.

The cave was in the middle of nowhere when the two sisters entered it. Only they and one other knew of its existence, but they both entered - one more confidence than the other.

"Hurry up, Grace. You're such a Hufflepuff."

"What's wrong with being a Hufflepuff?" her sister's black and yellow scarf was illuminated by the light at the end of both their wands.

"I'm kidding. There's nothing wrong with it."

The cave went deeper but as they moved forward the light at the end, cast by Lumos, began to turn red then finally vanish. The two sisters were overwhelmed by an endless sense of cold.

"We should turn back," Grace said.

"No, the heart is here. We just have to find it then everything will be fine."

Parts of the cave wall crumbled away rolling to the floor around them.

"This way," she said, pointing to a hole the shifting rocks made about half their size.

"It is at times like this I regret never becoming an animagus," she said, trying to distract from the pain and the wet feeling on both their hands and knees.

"What do you think your form would be?"

They thought about it as they passed through the cave, but both eventually answered what the other experienced with their Patronus. As they crawled through the cave, for what felt like days but was actually about three hours, they found themselves in a large chamber of dark stone with cross symbols carved into the walls that all lead to the centre, an alter of unrecognisable origin with nothing on top, not even dust.

"It has to be there," she pointed to the altar and looked around the room.

From the corner of Demelza's eye, she could see a light in a small pit in the ground.

"Grace, could you check that out?" More of a demand than a request, really. The top of the altar had a line running down that middle that looked like it would open as it did but slowly. When the alter did open, there was nothing but a note resting at the bottom which said: "You come seeking power but you leave empty-handed - G. M."

Demelza ran towards the pit, "We have to go. I have a bad feeling about this."

"I can't," Grace told her sister.

Grace tried pulling her hands away from the orb but they were being held there by some sort of electricity. Demelza dropped down into the pit and tried to separate them but to no avail, the cave began to collapse. Rocks fell from the ceiling, narrowly missing the pair.

"You have to go," Grace told her sister.

"I won't leave you here."

"If you do go, we will both die and all of this would have been for nothing," silently the pair looked into each other's eyes. "Just promise me one thing?"

"Anything," Demelza responded.

"Find the heart. Because if you don't I would have died for nothing."

"A fascinating story but I fail to see how it was you who killed your sister," Fudge said.

"If it wasn't for my obsession with the heart no one would have died," the court, at that moment, filled with a barrage of unrecognisable noise from the people on the stands.

"Quiet!" the minister yelled slamming the gavel on his desk, " I cannot sentence you for the death of your sister because you did nothing to directly harm her. However, you won't be leaving for your continued attempts to harness the power of the dark arts. All in favour of punishment?" everyone around the courtroom put their hand up.

"Didn't you hear what I said? I need to find the heart. If I don't, her death would have been for nothing!" she pleaded.

"You should have thought of that before you started meddling with the dark arts. It never ends well. " he turned to one of the guards at the back of the room.  
"Take her away," his wand followed her out the door and into an almost deserted corridor.

"I'm sorry, but, I have to do this," she told the guard.

Before he could react, She grabbed his wand not with the intention of harming him but of disarming him. She snapped his wand in half then ran. The wand cracked, louder then she had expected, and she punched him in the face followed by her grabbing her hand yelling, "Muggle films make it look so easy," before sprinting down the hall to a large main hub with over a hundred different fireplaces with a bowl of ash next to each of them. She grabbed a handful of flue powder and stood in the fire threw it to the ground, green flames erupted around her.

"Diagon Alley!" she yelled before the world around her gave way to darkness and she woke up in the Leaky Cauldron.

She left the pub before anyone could see her face, ducking in and out of a large crowd of people until not even she knew which shop she was about to enter until she was face to face with Ollivander and a boy around the age of eleven who stood in the corner trying to cover his blue eyes with his black hair. He had just been given his first Wand and was playing with it until she had entered.

"Mrs Murray? I didn't expect to see you here," Olivander exclaimed as he looked up from the counter. She began looking behind him at all the wands stacked on the many shelves.

"Maybe you should practice your divination," she began brushing the Ash from her black dress and out of her hair at the same time she gave some explanation as to what happened to her wand by saying,

"I need a new wand. I lost mine in a duel."

"That wasn't very smart. Did they disarm you?" he asked as he walked to the back of his shop and took one from the shelf.

"I would prefer not to talk about it."

His grip on the Wand seemed loose, as though he was going to drop it, but he didn't.

He placed it on the counter and said, "Try this one. It should work," the case her new wand came in had the words "blackthorn wood dragon heartstring core 9 inches" written on it in golden writing. Before she even cast her first spell with her new with it, she felt a connection.

"How odd, how very odd indeed," he said stroking his chin, a smile on his face.  
"What's odd?" she asked looking at the wand admiring the colour which was darker than her last Wand.

"When you first got your wand, the wood was Ash Wood" he explained, taking the wand from her and balancing it on his index finger. "But now it's Blackthorn. It appears something within you has changed and by the looks of it very recently."

He gave her the Wand back and told her the cost, seven galleons, which she paid with the cash she had planned to buy drinks with. The boy was about to leave the shop, having got what he came in for but as he touched the handle he stopped.

"Do you know where the book shop is?" he asked both the adults in the room.

To which Ollivander responded by asking, "Aren't you here with your parents? Surely they know where it is?"

"My dad is a muggle and my mom is busy at work trying to avoid being fired," the boy responded.

"You must be Andrew. Shame about what happened to your mother," he told the boy who was apparently called Andrew. Ollivander looked away from Andrew and towards Demelza. "Would you be willing to take him there? It's a big day for wand selling and I don't know what will happen if I leave."

"Sure," she said. "I'm going there myself anyway. I need to buy a book about magical history."

They both left the shop together, Andrew following a few steps behind both hands deep in his pockets - as if looking for something that wasn't there.

"Nervous? I was, too, "she said, trying to sound like as much of an authority figure as possible. "But you'll get used to it. By the time your third-year rolls 'round, it will be easy sailing from then on. But no matter what happens you'll probably do better than your mom."

The pair stopped outside of Flourish and Blotts, a shop, that from the outside, looked as though it was leaning at a slight angle.

"You knew my mom?" he asked, waiting outside of the shop for an answer.

"Yes I did," Demelza responded. "She was friends with my sister, Grace. Both of them were in Hufflepuff."

The shop was similar to Ollivander's in design. A desk at the front with rows and rows of shelves behind them. However, Ollivander's had wands and Borgin and Burks had books. Books about every topic in the wizarding world, from animagus to zoology.

Andrew looked at the letter and saw that the list told him all the books he would need. Demelza went straight to the back to find the initials G.M in any books related to the dark arts or the defence. Thereof, she found five names: Gregory Marling, Grant march, Gwen Mich, Georgia Mort, and George Moore all five names came from the same books 'Unattainable Goal' by author Greg Miller.

She looked at the counter and saw that Andrew had already found all nine books he would need and was paying for them, though he struggled to carry them. She walked over, grabbed them herself, and looked placed them in the bag.

"Thank you," he told her, taking the bag off her and pulling it along the floor as if it was on wheels. She paid for the book and walked out of the shop, carrying it under her arm.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Andrew asked standing next to the door holding his copy of 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'.

"Unfortunately I didn't. I fear that the only place that has the answers I need is the restricted section of the Hogwarts library." she sighs, defeated.

"What were you trying to find?" Andrew asked.

"My sister and I were exploring a cave last week when we found this note,"  
she showed him the note which she found in the cave and had kept safe in her sleeve.

"Do you know who this "G.M." is?" he asked handing the note back to her.

"No," she responded. "That's why I got this book."

"Maybe I could help," he told her. "I've been told I'm very good at solving puzzles."

She paused as if weighing her options.

"If you want, but I will not be responsible if anything goes wrong. Agreed?" she held her hand out and Andrew shook it excitedly as he responded:

"Will we be communicating using owls?"

"Yes," she responded stepping back. "Tell your mom Grace misses her."

"I will, bye," he said as she ran towards the wall that separated the alley from the Leaky Cauldron.


	2. A Discovery of Magic

Andrew held his Wand tightly In his hand flicking his wrist back and forth panic reading the standard book of spells year one   
"reparo," he said over and over tapping the tip of his Wand on the pieces of the shattered lamp on the floor with no success.   
"one last attempt," he thought to himself standing at full hight pointing his Wand at the floor  
"reparo" he yelled, no light appeared at the end of the Wand as the book said would happen but each individual piece began slowly rising into the air some pieces, though he had no idea how they got there flew past his head narrowly missing his ear, the shattered bits all met on the table which the lamp had previously fallen from and formed the exact shape it was before then at once the cracks which had been visible for a brief second faded until there was no proof the lamp was even broken in the first place.   
"What happened?" his mom asked from the doorway putting her Wand in the inside pocket of her jacket   
"I fixed the lamp with magic," he explained happily jumping and placing his Wand on the table that the lamp was on, his mom rubbed the sleep from her eye, laughing and said   
"yes you did" before walking up to him and placing her hand on his shoulder.   
"are you ready for your big day?" she asked   
"in one week you'll be in Hogwarts. What house do you think you'll be in?" she asked reaching around the corner behind the door frame and giving him a robe that looked big for him and yet too small for her it was a dark black colour with a mustard yellow outline   
"this was mine when I went to Hogwarts" she explained "I was in Hufflepuff but it could be different." she explained "there was one student I went to school with called Angela Smith. She was born in a family of Ravenclaws but when she was sorted she was put in Hufflepuff." he put the robe on and felt as it dropped past his feet and began to drag on the floor.   
"Can I look at your Wand?" she asked holding it in her hand as though it was a twig he nodded   
"only if I can look at yours" Andrew was given his mom's Wand to look at though he treated it more carelessly than his mother treated his gripping it tight as though someone was trying to take it from him   
"did you meet Ollivander?" she asked she began taking the robe off him and hung it back on the coat hanger next to the doorway   
"I did, he seems like an odd man" she laughed as she walked to the window and opened it letting and owl fly through and drop a letter on the table in the middle of the kitchen a brown envelope with a wax symbol holding the envelope shut. His mom opened it and began to read her eyes darted back and forth each word more important to her than the last she placed the letter down and looked in a draw near the window and grabbed a bag of treats and giving one to the owl   
"is your dad home?" she asked Andrew shook his head and watched as his mom paced back and forth thinking about something   
"I have to go to work but there's no one to keep an eye on you." using both hands she pushed her blank hair out of her eyes  
"I guess you'll have to come with me to work," she told him grabbing her keys and making her way to the living room holding Andrews' hand. he followed her to the coal fireplace and grabbed a highly decorated jar from on top and grabbed a handful of the powder from within she turned to face him holding the powder in her hand trying to avoid letting it fall on the floor "have every travel by flu powder before?" she asked   
"no, but I've seen you do it. Does the fire hurt?" he asked taking part of the powder from her she placed her hand on his shoulder and began to explain   
"I need you to stand in the fireplace and throw the powder at your feet then say where you want to go. In this case, we'll be going to the ministry of magic" she enters the fireplace, ducking to avoid hitting her head off the top, she stood up tall and threw the powder at her feet  
"ministry of magic" she said loud and clear through the soot and Ash she was then consumed by green flame. Andrew then walked up to the fireplace and stood in the centre, hands shaking, a dry feeling in the back of his throat his arm reached over his head, the Ash falling into his hair, he threw the Ash into the ground "ministry of magic" he yelled and watched as the green fire shot up out of the logs and surrounded Andrew he saw nothing but darkness. When he opened his eyes he was standing in a large black and white central room, walls lined with paintings at each end there was a statue some had a slot to donate to different charities. Andrews mom grabbed his hand and lead him to a hallway on the opposite side of the room   
"I just need to go to my office for a bit one of my bosses have a job for me" both Andrew and his mom walked down the hallway passing multiple offices with different names on the front until they both stopped in front of an office with the name "Mary King" written in bold black letter she removed her keys from her pocket and unlocked the door. Her office was a small bright room with a desk in the corner the walls lighted with filing cabinets, the wall above her desk was a poster of the Quidditch team the chudley cannons with their song at the bottom which would play with the wave of a wand  
"chudley cannons, chudley cannons, boom boom boom, we are not pirates"   
After the music stopped there was a knock on her door which Andrew opened and was faced with a dark-haired adult wearing sunglasses and red lipstick   
"does your son have to be here?" she asked. His mom walked him out of the room and told him to sit on a bench on the other side of the hallway. He looked in through the window on the wall of his mom's office the woman Andrew didn't know was yelling at his mother but she just stood their one hand on top of the other in front of her hip her head was tilted down looking at her feet. No sound could be heard through the window but the look of anger on her face gave the impression of a deep internal hatred that must have grown over many years. Someone tapped his shoulder and turned him around a man about twice his hight whos face was mostly moustache but two blue eyes could be seen through it.  
"is there a reason you're here?" he asked adjusting his uniform   
"my mom is in that room," he explained "she's in trouble" he sat on the bench and waited   
"do you know when she'll be done? I need to give her an assessment." he held his hand out for Andrew to shake "I'm your mothers boss, I tell her what to do and she does it. I hope you listen when your mom tells you what to do." Andrew took his hand and shook it  
"you must be Andrew. I'm Marlton Maynes." he released his hand and looked at a clock on the wall   
"what are you telling my mom to do?" Andrew asked taking a seat on the floor next to the bench   
"I'm not allowed to tell you much as it's a secret but I can tell you your mom is hunting a bad woman who was here yesterday." he began stroking his hair  
"your mom is not in a good state here at work. This her last chance before she will have to be fired. It's a shame, she's not a good fighter but she's a good friend." the man sat there and waited same as Andrew who was less patient than him instead of sitting as told he paced back and forth without stop counting the seconds until the door opened which it did about an hour later the woman walked out the sound of her footsteps echoing down the hallway. His mom stood in the doorway wiping her eyes which were red, she looked up   
"oh, I'm sorry." she exclaimed taking a step back. She began walking her boss into the office and told him to sit back on the bench. Once his mom had returned to her desk and shut the door behind her Andrew stood up and made his way to the door and pressed his ear against it   
"are you sure you'd be willing to do it?" Marlton asked   
"I'm not sure. We were so close when we went to Hogwarts." then she paused and no sound could be heard from her office of a few seconds until his mom spoke,   
"if that's what it takes to keep my job then I'll do it." Andrew heard the sound of paper hitting wood and footsteps approaching the door taking a step back he saw both his mother and Marlton leave shaking hands   
"I wish you the best," Marlton told his mom who as far as Andrew could tell had calmed down significantly Marlton Walked down the hallway out of sight   
"will we be going home?" Andrew asked his mother   
"Yes, we will. Just follow me" he did, taking hold of her hand he followed her down the hallway and back into the main chamber. In the centre of the room was a briefcase with the symbol of infinity on, the sideways eight a man in a long robe-wearing sunglasses walked to the centre of the room and picked it up showing some signs of struggle doing so not even being able to lift it off the ground instead the handle broke off leaving him with part of the case but less than half of a half he walked away with the handle as if he didn't know he had left the entire briefcase behind.   
"what are you looking at?" Andrews mom asked it was then he realised he had stopped walking   
"I thought I saw something weird, never mind." they kept walking until they were again faced with a fireplace, one bigger than theirs at home  
"do you want to go first or should I?" she asked grabbing two handfuls of the powder and handing it to Andrew who without speaking took it off her and walked into the fireplace he felt the powder fall through his fingers. He held his fist above his head, closing his eyes to avoid the powder getting in his eyes, and threw it to the ground around his feet "King residents" he said quietly so no one could hear him. The green flames rose from the ashes covering him from head to toe until the world around him was engulfed by darkness when he opened his eyes he was at home. He took a few steps out of the fire and began trying to get the soot off his clothes his mom came through the fire doing the same after placing both her Wand and her documents on the coffee table in the centre of the living room   
"I'll make some tea." she left the room rubbing her hands together. Andrew picked up his mother's Wand and began to play with it, balancing it on his finger catching it when he fell he began waving it around saying nothing. The tip of the wand began to glow red the pile of paper set on fire. Seconds passed the fire didn't move, but it didn't die down   
"do I smell smoke?" Andrew's mom asked. She was standing at the doorway and looked at the fire panicking she cast a spell and a bottle flew into her hand she poured a single drop on the flame which died down in seconds. The bottle had the words "ninroot Potion" Written on the side a clear liquid that moved less like water and more like syrup   
"what did you do?" she asked calmly   
"I don't know" Andrew responded on the brink of tears "I was just playing with the Wand"   
"don't do that again." she told him before checking the pile   
"luckily most of it is fine but I lost the information about what she is after." Andrew stepped out of the room and ran upstairs not coming down until tea. 


	3. Nine and three Quarters

Andrew King had spent the last ten minutes staring at the Same Spot on the silver barrier that separated platforms nine and ten trying, but ultimately failing to ignore the people looking at him. He looked at his watch, brown leather straps that fit loosely around his wrist even when it was as small as it could be "half seven" he told himself looking around the station. From the looks that plastered the faces of the staff, he could tell something was off though if it had something to do with him he didn't know about it as he opened the book on top of the pile which was one thousand magical herbs and fungi by Phyllida Spore and, spurred on by the memory of the fire, opened the book to the page on ninroot and read the first few sentences.

"ninroot, first discovered in El Azizia, in the year 1786 by American wizard Ronan Mumps, is a plant typically used in the production of ninroot potion or ninroot powder, both have the same function however ninroot potion is easier to make. The purpose of both potions is to aid in the extinguishing of fires of both muggle and magical origins. Despite its usefulness, or more likely because of it, ninroot is a very rare and expensive ingredient the biggest supply supposedly be that of Severus Snape's, despite the fact that I have never seen it with my own eyes the rumours are numerous enough that there must be some truth to them. "

he closed the book and placed it on the top of the trolly that held his supplies and a letter from Demelza then he began walking away from the barrier when he saw his mom walk around the corner holding a cup of tea  
"where are you going?" she asked standing in front of him   
"I'm going to find someone who works her to show me where platform nine and three quarters is."   
"do you see that barrier there?" she said pointing to the barrier "just close your eyes" she explained "run it to it at full speed and you'll arrive at the platform. see." she took the trolly off him with a childish grin on her face, Andrew closed his eyes and waited for the crash, but as the seconds passed it didn't happen, the only sound that could be heard was the chattering of passers-by "run, just do it, run" Andrew walked up to the barrier and placed his hand through it, he looked around before taking a few steps through the wall, the world went dark, as it did when he used flu powder. when the darkness cleared away he was greeted by a train station, in many ways similar to the one he was just in, large brown support pillars held up the ceiling, of a station just as crowded as the one on the other side except some of them wore clothing so bizarre it made them look almost alien. then he saw the train, or as his mother had called it the scarlet steam engine, it was exactly as she had described it red, with a round front and body of ten almost square compartments, it was everything Andrew had dreamed it was all he had dreamed it was and more Andrew's mom saw the smile on her son's face one that made it seem like Christmas had come early but to him, it was so much more.

He approached the train with a group of around fifteen other students he didn't know and took his first step on to the train and moved through the narrow walkway looking for an empty compartment, the closest he found was one that only have a single student wearing a yellow scarf, green eyes and blue hair Andrew sat opposite the bay and waved  
"Hi, I'm David Maynes." the boy smiled and waited for Andrew to reply  
"I'm Andrew King, nice scarf" he removed the scarf from around his shoulder and lay it flat against the palm of his hands to show it in more detail.   
"thank you," he said "it was my moms. My family has been in Hufflepuff for the past three hundred years."  
"My mom was in Hufflepuff," Andrew told David "but my dad is a muggle" Andrew explained   
"Muggle? What does that mean" David asked, confused  
"it's a non-magical person" Andrew explained,  
"oh, my mom would call him a no maj." David reached into his pocket and held out a sandwich bag full of jellybeans  
"would you like some. It's Bertie Botts every flavour beans." he offered  
"it can't be every flavour." David held one in between his index finger and thumb, it was pale the colour was the only visible difference. He ate it from the look of his face it didn't taste bad but it was a taste he didn't expect  
"I got Porkchop. Do you wanna try one?" he held another one out bright red like a pepper. Andrew took it off him thanked his new friend and ate it  
"what did you get?" David asked  
Andrew replied "I don't know, it tastes sort of metallic." through hours passed none of them were able to figure out what the flavour was, though it wasn't for a lack of trying. The closest they got to the correct answer was rocks.  
Both of the boys heard the sound of wheels rolling down the walkway, stopping before every compartment and after a while once money and snacks were swapped the trolly would begin moving again. Andrew saw what was on top of the trolly   
"would you like me to get you some more of those?" Andrew asked pointing to the beans and taking some money out of his pocket "oh, no thank you, my mom said she would send some to me in school by owl" Andrew turned to the person pushing the trolly "no thank you" she left passing a few more students. By this point everyone had left their part of the train and began walking around, some spoke to people they knew but couldn't sit with while other made new friends they talked about things like magic and sports both muggle and magic. One person next to his compartment could be heard laughing   
"chudly cannons?" he exclaimed, "you mean that team that hasn't won the World Cup since 1892?" Andrew passed them and move closer to the end of the train until he found a group of about five girls sitting together laughing   
"how many mudbloods so you think are attending this year?" Andrew stopped "mudblood, mudblood?" he had heard the word before and as it was happening now it was always followed by an uncomfortable silence "they're called muggle-borns." one of the other girls said" mudblood is what blood purists call them" Andrew moved on still, walking down and then back up again not being able to find anyone to talk to. He returned to his seat and found David still there as if he hadn't moved at all   
"did you have fun?" David asked, eating sweets   
"everyone appears to be having private conversations, thought it would be best to sit back down. Besides, you looked lonely." they both smiled at each other as David pointed to the seat on the opposite side of the compartment.   
"Did your parents ever tell you about Hogwarts?" Andrew asked   
"well, my mom tells me it's the best wizarding school in the whole world, she says some of the best magical minds in the world went there, like Dumbledore." he explained,   
"do you know of any teachers?" Andrew asked  
"my mom did mention two of them, called both her favourite. Flitwick the charms professor and Quirrell muggle studies." no one spoke from then on, they insisted spent reading school books Andrew read 1000 herbs and spices, David read year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart.

The train came to a grinding halt outside of a station labelled hogshead. Everyone stood up from their seats leaving their things on the self above their seat and made their way off the train one at a time, Andrew leaving last as a note from Demelza told him to. Once he did the first thing he saw beyond the crowd was a tall plump man with a long black beard wearing a long black coat, hair covered most of his face. In a loud voice, he said "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" then silent as if talking to someone specific   
"That's what I'm worried about," David said more to himself than Andrew who despite this asked  
, "what were you worried about?" David pointed to the front of the crowd   
"that is Harry Potter, you know the one who killed, you know who. I'm worried they will give him special treatment." Andrew stood at the back of the crowd listening to the giant of a man who, after talking to Harry, said  
"C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" despite this Andrew didn't move, both he and David stood, watching as the class walked off stumbling, trying to avoid tipping on rocks   
"why are you waiting here?" David asked  
"no reason." Andrew said, "you should probably go with them." Andrew waited and looked around   
"I'm not going," David said, "what if you get lost"   
"I'm meeting someone." Andrew finally said as he heard footsteps David said nothing, instead he walked away  
"hello Andrew" he heard a voice say  
"is it Demelza?" Andrew asked. A woman appeared from the shadows, she was tall, had dark skin, blond hair and long black fingernails   
"yes, it's me." she answered,   
"how did you get here?" Andrew asked   
"I'm staying at Hogsmeade." she explained, pointing away from the station to what he could assume was a town   
"do you know what you're looking for?" she asked grabbing Andrew by the shoulder   
"no, not really l, you just told me about the initials G.M.," he told her. She took a note from her pocket that said " you come seeking power but you leave empty-handed G.M"  
"I want to know who this gm is." she explained "you need to find any reference to a heart made of stone, or immortality related to these initials." she left without a word and without Andrew seeing through the darkness.  
"are you Andrew King?" he heard a different voice say. The voice came from a short man with white hair and brown eyes   
"y-yes, I am" he told the man  
"come here." the man demanded, "your friend David said you would be here." Andrew followed him as he walked through the trees, avoiding the rocks that lined the floor and walking around puddles   
"you're lucky David told me." he explained "if he would have told anyone else you would be in a heap of trouble. However I'm willing to forget it ever happened. " he held out his hand "I know you're probably under a lot of stress considering what's happening at home with your mom." after walking through the woods for a while all the trees began looking the same   
"shame about what happened to her, from what the paper said she isn't very good at combat magic, failed to stop two former death eaters killing some muggles, poor souls." Andrew had never once read the newspaper, his mother wouldn't allow it  
"she honestly hasn't been coping well, she's apparently close to being fired." the man turned to face Andrew   
"you shouldn't let yourself be so negative." he held out his hand for Andrew to shake   
"I'm professor Flitwick. If what's happening at home is ever too much or you have a problem of your own, my office is always open" they both continued walking, the path became smother until they faced a river which separated them and a large medieval castle   
"there's a boat here." Professor Flitwick said, walking over to a small rowing boat, most first-years use these when they first arrive, but Hagrid told me how to use them, come on. "they both sat on different ends of the small wooden boat facing each other   
"forward" Flitwick said as the boat came to life and began rowing across the wide river that ended near a winding path that lead to a large wooden door that marked the entrance of Hogwarts. He felt like it was his home already.


	4. One of Four

The moment Andrew entered the main hall, which seemed the be the largest room in the building with four tables at the head of which were ghosts, he saw a line of students, it was specifically David he saw that gave him the impression that's where he was supposed to be. Andrew joined the back of the line and waited as they placed an old hat on the heads of the other first-year students  
"you should have been here Andrew" David said, a grin on his face that stretched from ear to ear "the hat started singing." a teacher at the front of the hall, the one who held the hat looked over the group of students  
"Potter, Harry," the hat said   
Harry walked to the front if the hall and sat on the wooden stool as the old hat was placed on his black hair, then silence. Even from the back of the line, Andrew could see Harry's lips move but couldn't hear what was being said:   
"do you think it's going to be a hat stall?" David asked,   
"what do you mean by that?" Andrew asked, counting in his head how long the hat was on Harry's head  
"a hat stall" David explained "is when the Sorting hat is placed on a wizards head for five minutes before giving an answer." the first two minutes had passed, Harry's mouth still opened and closed as if saying something but no sound could be heard, when the hat did speak, yelling "Gryffindor" so loud that the entire hall could hear, only about four minutes had passed, close to a hat stall but not quite. Harry walked to the Gryffindor table to the sound of applause from the Gryffindor the line shrank as more names were called "Thomas, Dean" the hat said, sorting him into Gryffindor  
Then it was Andrew's turn he waited at the back of the line, listening to the two names before he was called, he heard it,  
"King, Andrew" the hat said. With sweating palms and heavy breathing Andrew made his way to the front of the hall and faced everyone though fewer people looked at him, a Ravenclaw boy with brown hair and brown eyes, a Slytherin girl with blond hair and blue eyes and an excited looking David, who's eyes were darker than Andrew remember his hair looked more green than the bright shade of blue it was when they met on the train. The hat was placed on Andrew's head, he immediately heard the hat's voice   
"another king" it said "yes I see potential here, a strong desire to learn, a need to make friends and find people you can trust. Not the bravest person here but your heart is in the right place. I know where to put you." he looked around and faced the Ravenclaw table before saying, as loudly as ever other times  
"Ravenclaw" the Ravenclaw table began to clap as Andrew walked over and took a seat next to the boy who watched him get sorted   
"I'm Terrence Boot," he said "future greatest wizard in the world." the look on his face was serious, or at least as serious as you could be at age eleven.   
"well," Andrew said "you were put in Ravenclaw. That has to mean something. Maybe the hat thinks you're smart." as they spoke the next person was called to the front   
"Maynes, David," the hat said, which immediately drew my attention to him he seemed confident, to say the least, he held his head up high and there was a look in his eye, he knew what he was doing. Once he made it to the front the hat was placed on his head, the smile on his face hadn't left yet but as time passed, something Andrew could only assume meant the hat was talking to David, his smile began to dip all colour drained from his face, the hat gave its final judgment  
"Gryffindor" it exclaimed with cheers from said table David, however, looked more like a walking corpse. The colour had left his face completely, as he walked he faced forward but didn't look at anything, he walked over to his table slowly.  
"what's wrong with him," Terrence asked  
"I think he wanted to be in a different house. On the way here he told me that his entire family has been a Hufflepuff for the past three hundred years." Terrence immediately started laughing and, barely being able to speak, said "what sort of idiot would want to be in Hufflepuff. I think out of the four houses I would rate Hufflepuff fifth place." Andrew turned to face David, who had taken a seat by the Gryffindor House table and was talking to some of the students.  
"who do you think that is?" Terrence asked, pointing to one of the teachers at the front of the room, a skinny pale figure who wore a purple turban.  
"I don't know. Maybe we'll have a lesson with him." the professor that sat at the centre of the table stood at full hight and looking at every student  
"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" he then took his seat. Andrew looked at the golden plate in front of him and saw food that wasn't there before, roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.  
Andrew stood up from his seat and crossed the hall to find David he had red marks around his eyes and the sudden difficulty speaking words every so often getting caught in the back of his throat.  
"hi," Andrew said as he approached David   
"hi," David said   
"so, you're in Gryffindor. House of the brave." David used his fork to move a piece of chicken from one side of his plate to another.   
"maybe you should go back to your seat," he told Andrew "your food might get cold" David took a sip of his drink which as far as Andrew was aware was pumpkin juice. Andrew walked back to his seat and ate his food, talking to some of the students about things like there blood status   
"I'm a half-blood, muggle dad witch mom," Andrew told them some members were half-blood, some muggle born but very few purebloods while all these conversations were happening Andrew saw a ghost hovering over the table, silent which at first wouldn't have seemed odd except nearly every other ghost was talking. The ghost at their table had long hair and wore a fancy dress that was a couple hundred years out of style at least, no other details could be seen as Andrew noted she's transparent. Andrew looked over to the Gryffindor table and saw their ghost there's was male, but both wore old clothing. This one was currently holding his ear and pulling. The ghosts head flipped open like a lid showing the students on the Gryffindor table that he was nearly headless all the students looked at him in horror.

The food on their plates disappeared, similar to how it appeared in the first place and the wizard in the centre had one last thing to say  
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." his eyes fell upon two of the older students on the Gryffindor table, twins, tall with ginger hair   
"I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors." a pause as the mad professor looked around the Great Hall,   
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch." another pause, during which Andrew remembered the chudley cannons  
"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." there was a laugh from somewhere in the room, sound surrounded by complete silence  
"It doesn't matter what's on the third floor, I bet I could take it" Terrence declared but in a way, only the Ravenclaws could hear  
"you couldn't defeat a cat let alone something that could cause 'a very painful death'." Andrew replied  
"I bet he's just trying to scare us, there's probably nothing," Terrence replied  
"I don't know," Andrew said "he seemed pretty serious." as saying this Andrew caught the attention of a ghost. To say this spirit was a thing of nightmares could be considered an understatement. A transparent figure in Old clothing like every other ghost however he wasn't as clean as the rest, parts of his body were bound in chains, his clothes stained with blood. "Who's blood is that?" Andrew thought as he saw the ghost of House Slytherin.

"so Terrence what are you? Half-blood, muggle-born or pure-blood?" Andrew asked  
"I'm three-quarters blood, my mom was a witch, my dad was a muggle but my mom said he was really good at card tricks, she told me that counts," Terrence said that without any sign that he was joking.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" The middle teacher, who Andrew could only assume was the headmaster, said he waved his Wand and a long gold ribbon extended from the end forming letters in the air, everyone started singing

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now, they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot, just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot."

Everyone finished at the same time with the exception of the two ginger twins who sang slow, like it was a song of mourning.

After the song was done two students from each table stood up, the Ravenclaw student Andrew saw was female, blond hair, blue eyes, white skin at some point during the meal he had heard someone call her Penelope Clearwater. She lead all of the Ravenclaw students out of the great hall and into the corridor. Everyone followed her to the Ravenclaw tower, one of the tallest on the west side of the castle. The only thing that separated the students from the common room was a brass door handle in the shape of an eagle's head. It spoke  
"What is it that you can keep after giving it to someone else?" it asked both prefects paused and thought about it for a few seconds before finally giving the answer   
"your word," Penelope said a loud click sound echoed through the hall and the door slid open granting passage to the common room. The first thing of note in the room was a statue of a woman, who's limited features remained Andrew of the Ravenclaw ghost, it wasn't a one to one comparison but they could definitely be related.   
"boys sleep in the room at the top of the stairs on the right" the male prefect said  
"and girls sleep in the room at the top of the stairs on the left" the rest of the common room was round, many chairs up against table that had games like wizards chess, in the middle of the room, the wall around the statue was a bookcase with books on a verity of topics though all of them non-fiction. The roof was dome-shaped, decorated with stars that gave the impression it wasn't there at all if you were to look at it the beauty of the night sky would shine through the centuries-old bricks. Andrew found the bedrooms, with help from the other, older students and saw a four-post bed layout for him to rest his head and a bedside table with his timetable on. first lesson charms with Professor Flitwick in room 2E, the location of which Andrew didn't know, but at he fell asleep he didn't think about that, he thought about what he had left at home, he thought about his parents.


	5. Introduction of Dueling

Andrew had only been able to sleep for a few hours when he heard it. Clapping. He heard the sound from the centre of the room loud, like thunder but the room remained in complete darkness. The figure Andrew saw, as just an outline appeared to be carrying a wand, with a flick of the wrist and a single word

"Incendio," a voice in the centre of the room said. At that moment all of the candles that lined the walls came a light and one boy stood in the middle of the room towering over the other students, even the ones who had already gotten out of bed, the students that Andrew could only assume were the older ones. The eldest boy, who was called Thomas, had his wand out and began speaking

"up everyone. Time for the first meeting of the RSDC" everyone who wasn't the first-year tossed their blanket off their bed and gathered in the centre of the room, all of the first-year students followed after, some happier than others, Andrew saw Terrence on the opposite side of the room, he was slow out of bed but had a smile on his face, the look in his eyes suggesting one thing, he was born ready. The pair began walking to the centre of the room, each step across the cold floor feeling dry against their bare feet. All of the first years met in the centre of the room, the older students, with the exception of the prefects, made their way to the main area of the common room.

"before we go down there and join the rest of the students," Thomas said "I must ask you one thing. Do any of you know what the RSDC is?" after a few minutes, during which no one spoke Thomas lead them downstairs and into the main room, on each side of the room students from each of the other years stood, bored expressions plastered their faces

"the RSDC or Ravenclaw student duelling club was a club started five years ago by two Ravenclaw students that no one here got to meet. It is a thing that happens every night and is a way for students to practice spells outside of lessons, even if those spells are against the rules." two of the older students had their wands out and were stopped in the middle of the room back to back Thomas turned to face both of them

"this will be a test of speed, " he explained before turning back to face the first-year students " I will start saying numbers most will be odd when that happens then take a step further apart, but when I say an even number, they will turn and cast a set spell first one to be hit loses." both students held their wands tight, but before the competition could begin Thomas asked,

"do any of you know any basic spells?" Andrew remembered one, he could picture the red light, the wand flying from someone's hand Andrew raised his hand and was immediately picked

"Expelliarmus," he responded, "its the disarming spell"

"well done," Thomas said "in duelling, or less frequently in real-world combat, Expelliarmus is one of the most basic and yet useful spells, seen as a red light that hits the target and removes whatever they are holding, however," he paused and looked around the room. Everyone listened to him as he continued

"if someone is hit by more than one at a time it can send them flying back possibly even knocking them out. " he let the words sink in, needed to make sure everyone understood, especially the first years. He turned to face the two students

"are you ready?" he asked both students held their wands up to their noses.

"five," Thomas said, the two taking one step apart their feet rubbing against the stone floor.

"nine," Thomas said, another step forward, the two students tightened their grip.

"seventeen" another step forward, sweat could be seen slowly sliding down the forehead of both students.

"four" the word echoed around the room as the two spun around on the spot and both yelled

"expeliamus!" the green light shot from their wands one before the other, the light hit the boy sending his wand flying out of hand and colliding with the wall, the sound echoed for a moment before silence that lasted only a few seconds

"do any of you need to be shown again or do you want to try yourself" both Terrence and Andrew locked eyes from the other side of the room, no anger was present, just determination, Terrence walked to the other side of the room and, with the voice of an eleven-year-old trying to sound intimidating, said

"you don't stand a chance" a smile grew from ear to ear on his face the look in his eyes only darkening, holding. He held out his wand, not to cast a spell but to show him, it's dark wood seemed wet, it's handle was decorated with a carving of a wolf's head,

"my mom specially ordered it" Andrew knew what was going to happen next. He took his own wand out of the inside pocket of his robe, took a step back and showed it to Terrence as they stood face to face, wand to wand

"looks like we have a challenge here" Thomas said, at first concerned, but at the event played out as Andrew and Terrence walked in circles around not particular spot, his expression became one of excitement.

After being escorted to the centre of the room, standing back to back with each other both Andrew and Terrace were ready

"the same rules as before, since this is a first-year duel we shall again use Expelliarmus." Thomas turned away from the crowd and faced Andrew and Terrace "do I make myself clear?" he asked "it doesn't matter what spells you think you know, just Expelliarmus" both students nodded to show they understood

"five" a step forward, Terrence's bigger than Andrew's sweat trickled down their foreheads

"nine," another step forward, the grip on both wands tightened despite the wood splinters hurting their fingers

"two million two hundred and twenty-two thousand two hundred and twenty-one," another step, though with a large number of twos both Andrew and Terrence nearly turned around.

"six," as quickly as they both could the pair turned on the spot

"Expelliarmus, " both of them said but the light only came from one wand, Terrace's, it collided with Andrew's chest and for a moment he felt each of his fingers being forced apart one after the other, his Wand flew through the air and hit the wall behind him bouncing off and hitting him in the back. He went forward catching himself enough to stop falling to the floor. Everyone, with the exception of Andrew and Thomas, celebrated

"don't worry," Thomas assured Andrew "you'll get better and when you do I'm sure you'll beat him." he left Andrew and walked over to Terrace patting him on the back and speaking to him, though Andrew could not hear what was being said.

After a number of people volunteered to demonstrate the disarming spell everyone was split off into pairs, the first years being told not to pair with each other but instead, with the older students, Thomas went with Andrew, taking me to the side and taking his wand out of his pocket 

"first thing you're getting wrong is how you're holding it" he held his wand in front of Andrew's face, not too close, to show the correct grip, Andrew copied moving the wand from between his middle and index finger until it was resting on his index finger and supported by his thumb. Andrew showed Thomas his hand and let him see how he was holding his wand  
"you should probably stop shaking your hand, it might lead to a spell missing." he was right, Andrew's hands had been shaking, however, it wasn't due to nervousness or tiredness, though they big were factors, he had never learned why it was just a fact of life. After a while of trying but failing to control his hands, he was ready

"now try." Thomas told him, again Andrew flicked his wrist, and just like last time nothing happened, he tried again and again until his fifth go, no ball if red light appeared, no energy hit Thomas or anyone else, but sparks that shot forward before unimpressively falling to the floor. Progress, but not much. Andrew put his wand back in his pocket and watched the other students each cast the same spell, some more successful than others wands flying out of people's hands and landing next to them but none of this was what Andrew was really looking at, he was looking out of the window.

"they say Ravenclaw tower has the best view in the entire castle," Thomas said, he had turned his back on the other students leaving Penelope to teach and eventually dismiss everyone, letting them and himself return to bed in their own time but Andrew stayed near the window looking out over the Hogwarts gardens only Andrew and Terrace remained. He saw a forest, which he assumed was the forbidden forest mentioned in the welcoming speech. Andrew couldn't see through the trees, every inch of the forest floor was covered in darkness, with the exception of one small circle that contained some sort of rock formation

"do you like Quidditch?" Terrence pointed towards the pitch which stood at the corner of Andrew's eye, oval-shaped surrounded by hundreds of seats with six goals, three on each side and grass a deep emerald green.

"I'm not that big of a fan myself, but my mom is, " he replied as he walked over to the suitcase that held his clothes and pushed everything to the side finding a poster rolled up that he immediately unrolled  
"chudley cannons chudley cannons, boom boom boom we are not pirates." the poster sang as Andrew's wand passed it  
"one of the first birthday presents I was ever given," Andrew sighed before rolling it back up and placing it back in his case   
"my mom bought me it thinking I was going to be as big a fan as she is, she wasn't disappointed when I told her I didn't like it but she wasn't happy either."

"I think I might go for the chaser, I can't imagine catching the snitch is that difficult." he leans against the window, letting the wind push his hair   
"what's your first lesson tomorrow?" he asked as we both made our way back to the sleeping room

" I have charms with Professor Flitwick. You?" he unfolded the parchment that has his timetable on and looked

"double defence against the dark arts. With professor Quirrell..." he paused   
"I thought he was the muggle studies teacher," he said "that's what my mom told me anyway" eventually both Andrew and Terrence went to their beds and rested.

As Andrew closed his eyes, as he went to sleep, he remembered everyone who was able to cast the spell, he could picture the way their hands held their wands, the way the ball of red energy shot from the wand and struck its target, a spell that was often, but not always, followed by a flash of green light, Avada kedavra, a spell Andrew knew, a spell Andrew didn't want to know, a spell that Andrew murmured in his sleep between panicked breaths and heartbeats that came slow and went quickly, one thing no one else knew, not even his mom, Andrew saw what happened to those muggles he saw them die saw guns and knives go from weapons that claim lives to mere toys when compared to the power of a wand, he realised how much power a wizard could have over a muggle. This made him think, a thought that he unknowingly whispered under his breath   
"why do wizards hide from muggles? Why don't we help each other?"


	6. First Attempt

Andrew wore tiredness like a mask, one that he couldn't remove. Dark patches and bags decorated his eyes which opened and closed as he made his way to the main hall which seemed bigger than it looked yesterday the Gryffindor table sat closer to the back out of earshot of the staff with the exception of David who sat alone, alone until he saw Andrew and looked up from his food, a traditional English breakfast

"Hello, Andrew, " David said, with a blank expressionless face, then he got a better look at Andrew "you look awful, late-night studying?" Andrew sat on the opposite side of the table and moved the food away from him, David pushed the bacon around his plate

"you could say that" then Andrew, despite how blurry his vision was and how much sleep was in the corner of his eyes, saw that David was just the same " what about you? up all night celebrating, the same house as the boy who lived" David sighed

"I was writing letters to my parents, telling them about my first day and everything that happened yesterday." he removed one from his pocket and placed it on the table in front of him "I sent all of them except this one he gestured for Andrew to open it which he did and read it. for the most part, the letter was about the castle itself with the section at the end, one which had been crossed out and rewritten at least three times, the phrase " _I am not a Hufflepuff, I am a Gryffindor_ " Andrew handed the letter back with shaking hands. David's quill was still in his hand and Andrew guessed, though he couldn't actually Confirm this, that David's side would be covered in ink from the night before

"did I ever tell you my mom was a Hufflepuff?" Andrew asked

"yes, you did, you told me on the train." he responded

"well," Andrew explained "last week my mom told me about some of her friends when she went here. she must have known that I was worried about being in your boots so she told me about a friend of hers called Angela Smith born into a Ravenclaw family but sorted into Hufflepuff." Andrew gave David back took the letter back with shaking hands "she told her family she was put in a different house and they were fine with it. It didn't change how much they loved her" his hair seemed a bit brighter, not to an extreme extent but from the distance the two wizards sat from one another Andrew saw it and grew curious, but didn't ask

"how do you know it ended well?" he asked after he had some time to think about the story "there might have been several things you didn't see."

"ok, you caught me out. I lied. I don't even know if she was accepted I just know that she was put in a different house than the rest of her family, but that's not the point, the point is, you believed it, no matter how short you lived your belief was, you thought it was at least a possibility. that is what you need to focus on, not how much you think your parents will be disappointed because they probably won't. they're Hufflepuff, they will because it is in their nature to accept others. they will love you." he said this, with as little breaths between each word as possible to such a degree that at the end of the sentence his voice was barely audible.

Andrew made his way to the Ravenclaw table and sat down in front of both Terrence and his already cold breakfast which would remain untouched for the rest of the day.

"I'm going to the library," he told Terrence who was still eating his food and responded, mouth full of toast "I'm going with you, in case you get into trouble." he began to stand up picking a leather-bound journal from next to him on the long bench and putting it in his large robe pocket

"I don't think there is anything you can do to stop me getting in trouble," Andrew told him, though he focused more on the journal

"who said anything about stopping you." he laughed giving Andrew the distinct impression that Terrence wasn't going to be the one who gets in trouble

Andrew, lead by Terrence, walked down a long statue-lined hallway around several corners, past some teachers who had now started wondering around the school passing several rooms most with closed doors with the exception of a few of the larger classrooms which were emitting a flash of red spells.

The library was a large room with each wall covered in windows through which could be seen the forbidden forest, a small hut and a tree which seemed to move as though it were alive rows and rows of bookshelves with an uncountable amount of books, each bound in leather with some covered in dust giving the impression they had never been touched while some, like the copy of 'Quidditch through the ages' that lay on the counter as someone was taking it out, were battered beyond non-magical repair

"what are you looking for?" Terrence asked, looking at one shelf near the front in a section about the human body.

"I would much prefer to look by myself, besides I don't think the information I'm looking for will be so publicly available. this is just me hoping for the best." Andrew scanned row after row of shelves full of books on topics from fire to transfiguration but none exploring the topic of the dark arts, with two exceptions.

The Edge of Moral Magic by 'Mary' no last name was given the first thing that attracted Andrew's attention was the symbol on the book's spine, it was one he didn't recognise, a triangle with a circle in the middle and a line leading from the top to the bottom. It was a list of different dark wizards throughout history going back to the 1940s with Gellert Grindelwald, the symbol on the spine of the book was also next to his name, to one name, the most recent, this one, however, was blacked out. He set about finding the mysterious G.M. Gregory Marling, Grant march, Gwen Mich, Georgia Mort, and George Moore were the only names he could find after about half an hour of looking, the one thing they had in common other than their connection to the dark arts is a single name, that of infamous auror Greg Miller.

The book made it clear that he was the one who caught all of them but they never faced any time in Azkaban, instead, disappearing never to be seen or heard from again. Greg Miller himself faced no punishment for this or any of the numerous other crimes put to his name because in the ministry's eyes he was doing what they told him to do the world was, for them at least, a safer place.

the second book was a called Perpetuum by stan maxwell that talked about various methods of gaining immortality, mostly as a way of proving immortality would be bad. it mentioned a town called Aeterna whos residents have not aged for over one hundred years. the book, however, did not mention anything about a heart or this gm person the closest it came was talking about how, using the blood of five people who have taken a life, any fist-sized object could give people immortality. The book described the process in great detail, almost as if the person who wrote it had gone through the process. Mid-thought Andrew looked at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room and saw that it was time for his lesson to begin.

Andrew closed the book, the dust escaping the pages and blowing into his face, he decided the take the first book out, he carried the large volume to the nearby counter and placed it, as gently as possible in front of the librarian who looked at the book with a confused stare from behind her red plastic glasses 

"I'm sorry, you can't take this book out. It was supposed to be in the restricted section" the book was taken from the counter and added to a small collection of books near the other side of the counter   
"is there anything else I can help you with? " she asked

"I need that book please, " Andrew replied timidly pointing to the book she just took off him with shaking hands

"no, you don't. We only keep books on that topic for the fifth and sixth years. This school has a very strict policy when it comes to the sharing of information of this nature, You're new here so most of the books are about topics you haven't even studied yet." she rested her glasses on the tip of her nose and looked into his soul, he shrank back and squeaked like a mouse

"sorry" he said quietly so she wouldn't hear.

He turned away from the counter and faced Terrence, who was in the middle of smelling someone's hair

"seriously. Stop that, now" he said, trying to calm himself down, pulling Terrence away

"what's your problem?" he asked before trying to sniff the girl's hair again.

Five seconds later Terrence was lifting himself off the floor rubbing his nose which was now a bright shade of red

"you didn't have to tell her" he said he said still rubbing his nose as they wandered around the castle looking for our first class,

"I didn't have to tell her, but it was the right thing to do, you were being creepy," Andrew said the only response he got was a smug look from Terrence 

"2E," Andrew said out loud "that must be the fourth room on the second floor" he turned the corner to find a staircase and went up, taking two steps at a time

"or it could be the second room on the fourth floor" Terrence said

"you're not helping," Andrew told him as they both turned corner after corner looking for their classrooms through the castle, which seemed to the boys to be arranged like a maze with doors leading to other corridors that themselves contain doors that lead to more corridors

"I have never had my existence summarised so clearly."Terrence laughed as he finally found his classroom and walked in, giving the general impression that he owned the place, before immediately being yelled at for being late.

More time was spent wandering the halls of the gigantic castle, more time during which he didn't see another student or teacher until he saw a man walk up to him who was short even then him but had the face of an adult

"shouldn't you be in class?" professor Flitwick asked, shifting the books he was carrying from one side to the other

"I would be," Andrew explained "but I can't find the classroom. Can you help?" Andrew stepped to the side of the teacher and waited for a response

"what classroom are you in?" Flitwick asked

"according to my time table I have charms in 2E." they both continued walking down hallway after hallway turning an uncountable amount of corners

"you are with me, I'm the charms teacher" after climbing another set of steps Andrew was standing in front of a door with 2E engraved on a small metal rectangle screwed to it. Before the two entered Flitwick faced Andrew and said "you won't get in trouble for being late if," he paused to make sure Andrew understood "you don't let it happen again."

The charms classroom was one of the bigger classrooms, the walls on the left side of the room and the right side were lined with seats that were already full of students though Andrew didn't recognise many of them, there was however only one seat available, one near the front.

The lesson was about to begin.


	7. First Lession

Professor Flitwick stood on top of a pile of books that, despite his short hight, made him seem taller than most of the students and with one single wordless gesture used his Wand to light the candles that surround the room

"good morning class, I will be your charms professor, my name is Professor Flitwick." he stood there for a while and observed the class, his eyes passed over students who sprung suddenly into concentration while Andrew himself latched on to every word spoken by the teacher "today," Flitwick continued "we will be learning one of the most basic spells but don't misunderstand me basic doesn't mean useless. Today we will be learning Lumos. Now before I explain does anyone here know what that does?"

To the surprise of some students and even Andrew himself, Andrew's has was the first to shoot up " it is a spell that, upon being cast, creates a light starting at the end of the casters Wand. tenebris being its counter charm which turns the light first red then turns it off entirely." Flitwick nodded before holding his Wand up and, again without speaking, cast the spell. Once the words were spoken, as Andrew had said a light appeared at first glowing bright enough to hurt the eyes of the students on the front row but then as it darkened the professor looked over the watching students and said

"you in the third row would you like to be part of the demonstration." he asked, pointing at David. all eyes fell on him though it seemed, from his shy demeanour and the way he walked over to the front that he was more nervous than Andrew was as he and the teacher met in the middle revealing that he was about the same height as the teacher " I want you to stand over there and cast Lumos." the pair stood at opposite ends of the room from one another and Flitwick waited patiently for him to cast the spell

"Lumos," he said with the expectation of greatness in his eyes that was cut off not long after by the absence of light "Lumos," he said waving his wand again. Everyone watched some, though it should be noted very few, laughed at his inability to cast what the teacher referred to as a basic spell but worried as at the third time his wand flew from his hand and landed on the floor partway between Flitwick and the student pointing at the teacher.

"Would anyone else like to volunteer?" Flitwick asked as David made his way back up the stairs trying but ultimately failing to ignore the ten or so people looking at him as he made his way back to his seat in the middle of the middle row where everyone could see him

"I'll do it," Andrew said more for David's sake than his own as when Andrew stood all eye met him from all angles. All but one instinct told him to run, his hands shook, eyes darted from one side of the room "Run! Run! Run!" A voice whispered in the back of his head, and yet he did not falter, he did not look back he had seen this spell before he had been shown how to cast it, though due to his lack of a wand at the time he didn't have a way to test if it would work he stood in front of the crowd and looked at David with sympathetic eyes

"now if you would stand where the last person stood and try to cast the spell" Flitwick pointed directly towards the point on the floor where the previous student stood before and he walked over pointing his.wand in his general direction

"Lumos," he said flicking his wrist and watching as the light came on flickered for a bit and then stopped, shining blindingly bright despite the wand being as far from his eyes as possible

"good, now I will cast tenebris. Try to avoid looking at the light as it turns red" he did exactly what he said, casting the spell without saying a word and watching, from a safe distance, as the light faded to a dark red and finally off the classroom feeling darker and smaller.  
"with that demonstration, I would like each of you to pick a partner and repeat what you have just seen." he stopped addressing the class and turned to face me   
"would you be willing to work with David ?" he asked, pointing to the student who was asked to do the first demonstration.

The two met in the middle of the classroom and shook hands "so, you'll be teaching me?" he asked taking his want back and tossing it from hand to hand

"that's what it seems like, yes." David stood in positioned and held his wand out in front of him then flicked his wrist

"Lumos," he said, a spark flying from his wand and falling to the ground in front of him.

"good start," Andrew said changing the direction David's wand was facing "Try remembering something happy. Find a light within yourself." after a moment of looking nowhere, in particular, he suddenly smiled and his cheeks turned a bright shade of red  
"do you have something?" he asked without the expectation of an answer. David flicked his wrist the cast the spell which caused the tip of his wand to light up dimly before turning dark again. Andrew took his wand out as a demonstration. He flicked his wrist and watched as the tip of his wand began to glow much bright then he expected.

"Now, I'm going to cast tenebris" and he did. As he did this the end of his wand became purple and, without sending the light anywhere David's wand became red, getting darker and darker until it turned off and leaving a cold chill in the air surrounding where the light once was. Class dismissed.

On his way to his next lesson, Transfiguration in 1b, he passed a door that gave off a sound, though no one around him could hear it. It was a dull, repetitive noise like the sound a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. He reached forward and grabbed the handle if the door and entered, despite knowing class would begin in a few minutes. The other side of the door was a long hallway lined with suits of armour that, despite never seeing them move, Andrew knew were looking at him, the holes where eyes should be scanning him from head to toe. The hallway was relatively short leading to a wall that didn't have the smooth texture of the others but instead looked like a cave. The sound still rang in the back of his head.

He left the hallway and made his way to the classroom despite this he didn't stop thinking about the noise until he found his room. It was a large room with multiple rows and columns of individual desks most of which were full, with the exception of one next to Terrence which Andrew chose.

"How was your second lesson?" he asked

"second? What do you mean?" Andrew asked, "I've only had one."

"no, you've had two. Your first was yesterday. Or are you try to suppress the memory of how bad you were?"

Before he could answer, though at this point he didn't know what to say, the teacher marched in a witch with dark black hair drawn into a tight bun, an emerald green robe and glasses with square lenses

"good morning class, my name is Professor McGonagall. I will be your transfiguration professor." she walked from one end of the room to the other and started writing on a chalkboard "?noitarugifsnart tuoba wonk uoy od tahw"

"what do you know about transfiguration?" she asked as she turned to face the class. One hand shot up above all, a bleach blonde-haired girl at the back of the classroom "yes miss Reed? She asked

"transfiguration is Changing the form and appearance of an object, animal, or person" she answered and includes spells that do things like change one thing to another or change the way one thing looks." she looked down at her desk, blushing, as people looked at her

"very good miss Reed. Transfiguration is at its core the ability to change things. For example." she reached into a door attached to her desk and pulled out a rat which she placed on her desk, with a tap of her wand on the creatures back it transformed into a silver goblet and then back again with having done seemingly little damage to the mouse "does anyone know what that spell is?" she asked as she walked around the classroom looking at each student "this is the sort of thing transfiguration can do." for the rest of the lesson questions were asked about different spells and the practical application of transfiguration in everyday life, jobs you need transfiguration for and the limitations which lead to the end of class and the first homework, a short essay on the practical application of transfiguration on five inches of parchment due in two lessons from now. However, it was a break.

As Andrew sat at his table eating an apple David approached him and sat down "I saw you in the library earlier today." he said "reading a book about the dark arts."

"I saw the title and was curious about it," he replied

"I know when people are lying. You were looking for something. I won't tell anyone I just want to the know what you were looking for."

"your second name is Maynes?" Andrew asked

"yes." David replied

"about a week ago I went to my mom's place of work and met someone named Marlton Maynes. Is that your dad?"

"yes, he did mention meeting you. Said something about talking to your mom about a very dangerous mission." then he paused and waited as if adding something up in his head "no, you're not."

"not what?" Andrew asked as he stood up from his desk and left for the library, David following him

"don't play dumb, you know what I mean." as they walked down the hallway Andrew noticed some of David's features change, his eyes had a golden ring surrounding the pupil his hair was shorter

"oh, you're a genius" he ran into the library and approached the divide between the restricted section and the student area

"whatever you're about to do don't do it." Andrew ignored him and pushed the unlocked door and entered the cold dark section of the library in which his breath was visible to him. He searched the shelves from A, Afterlife, to Z, an incomplete history of zoology.

"if I find the heart and let my mom hand it in she won't be at risk of losing her job." then he took one book off the shelf called the hearts finder.

The blurb read: _look upon the expedition diary of john seamore the brave wizard who introduced the world to the heart of stone and stopped a dark threat to us all._

He skim-read the introduction, a description of the heart a question, a small object crafted entirely of stone with a glowing purple light in the middle in the shape of a human heart. The book was big enough to keep in one of his pockets.


	8. Demelza

Demelza signed the book with her name and placed the pen back on the counter and was waiting for a response, and had been for half an hour "hello," she said leaning over the divider and "anyone here?" she asked in response she heard the sound of a chair scraping against the wooden floor and high healed footsteps approach her from the other side of the inn

"can I help you?" she asked in a flat voice

"yes, I would like a room," she said tapping the book she signed earlier

"let's see," the woman said turning the book over to see the information "Demelza Murray, born may 5th 1927." she paused, her eyes scanning what she had just read again and again

"you're sixty-four years old? You do know you're not supposed to lie." she turned the book around and gave it back to Demelza who refused to take it

"I'm not lying about when I was born, also I'm not sixty-four I'm forty-four." she just shrugged, took the book away and gave Demelza a room key

"it's on the second floor, the last door on your right." she followed the instructions, unhelpful as they were, and found a small room with a single bed, a damp blanket and no light she took her wand out of her bag and held it at arm's length in front of her

"Lumos," she said as the light came on, but then she heard a voice from the corner of her room

"tenebris," it said, the light turning red then off entirely leaving her room dark and colder than it was before

"I know you're here William," she said walking to the corner she heard the voice from

"The council would like to talk to you," he said, standing and walked to face her

"I'm sure they would like to do more than that." she paused at sat on the bed, feeling the springs stab at her legs

"They simply want to know what you're after. They need to know if it's a threat to us." he had the face of a twenty-year-old but something in his eyes made Demelza view him as an elder, which is because he was.

"it's the same thing I've been after for the past twenty-four years. Why are you only just now looking for me." the pair brought their wands forward, each looking at the end of the others. He took a sheet of paper out of his pocket

"field report. Demelza has been captured by the ministry on charges of murder." he folded the page up and placed it in a drawer "you're a hard woman to find." she ducked under his wand and wrapped her arms around his hips and tackled him to the ground slamming his head against the table. If it hurt, neither his voice nor the look on his face shows that. He looked up at her "so it's my turn to answer questions is it?" a smug grin stretched across his face

"what do you know about the heart of stone?" her and struck his face with the back of his hand. Registering no pain he simply looked up and her and said

"you do know you're supposed to hit the person if they refuse to answer your question, not before they do it?" she didn't listen, instead she punched his nose, the pain that shot through her hand reminded her of her escape from the ministry.

"Just tell me about the heart?" she stood up and sat on the chair in the corner of the room moving her blond hair out of her eyes

"what do you want with the heart anyway? It's not like it will help much against us." he still lay on the floor, his hands on top of his chest feeling his heartbeat

"if you're not afraid there's no reason to ignore my questions."

"fair point," he said "ask away." she was at a loss for words having not expected such a straightforward response

"When was the heart made?" he sighed

"The process began in 1891 and ended in 1923, the creator died a few years after."

"why was it made?" her finger tapped against the wooden armrest

"the village needed a weapon in case someone tried to attack us, our fear was proven by wizards like Grindelwald and Voldemort. They proved that fear a necessary many years after though the creator didn't know that, he died before they begin their reign of terror" Demelza shuddered upon hearing Voldemort's name   
"please tell me you don't buy into that superstition."

"he was an evil being, responsible for an unknown amount of deaths and a symbol of hated to those who lived under his terror."

"This would be a fear unknown to you if you had simply stayed in the village. 'no man whose soul hath been halved may pass the threshold' or did you forget that?" he asked, " I doubt you did, it's written on half the walls in the village."

"How does the village know so much about the heart? Most people don't even believe it exists."

"the person who made it came from Aeterna. He was one of the originals who made the town immortal in the first place and was the first to leave." he stood up and started walking towards the door

"where are you going?" Demelza asked standing up and pointing her wand at him

"I'm going outside, there's something I want to show you." he gestured towards the door and Demelza followed down the stairs and out into the cold night where her breath was visible. "the most recent host of the heart died here a few years ago and his body is buried in the local graveyard a few miles out of town.

The pair walked for what felt like an hour until they reached the edge of the town

"the council elders didn't think you should have gone to Hogwarts." he said out of nowhere, "people think you would have been better off at the village school or at least say you wouldn't have gone so native."

"you've gone native yourself respecting the likes of me." she replied "I bet if it was anyone else from the village we wouldn't even be having this conversation they would be yelling at me, calling me a 'traitor of the lesser breed'. That is one part I don't miss about home by the way." they finally reached the graveyard, a small area guarded by a neck-high black metal fence. They circled it trying to find the gate. When they found the gate it was locked by a black padlock

"Alohomora." he said, pointing his wand at the lock and catching it as it fell to the ground "after you," he said as he held the gate open

"Which grave is the one we're looking for," she asked

"it's near the back with the rest of the visitors who died while visiting." they both wandered through the graveyard walking through like they were in a maze, they knew what to look for but not where it was

"if he had the heart how did he die?" in truth it was something she had been wondering about for a while   
"I did research on the heart before I escaped the village. Despite it making the person invincible every host died and the heart passed on to another." he rested his hand in the grave

"The heart doesn't make you immortal it just means a lot of spells don't hurt you. For example, anyone under its effects can't be disarmed by Expelliarmus." he pointed to the cause of death which was written at the bottom of the grave

_The killing curse_

"There is only one person who has ever survived that," he said "and I'm sure he doesn't even know about the heart let alone wants it." he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a bright glowing sphere  
"you may ask him five questions and that is it. Do remember he will know nothing about his own death." he raised the sphere above his head and slammed it down in the dirt. Demelza looked deep into the gravestone and saw the letters and numbers twist until they formed a face with a permanent look of panic

"it's ok," Demelza said "I just have a few questions" he breathed deeply or as close to breathing as just a face can get "where did you find the heart?" after a moment it spoke in a voice that sounded deeper than could happen naturally

"It was in a cave near Hogwarts, in the forbidden forest."

"why was it there?" she asked

"I don't know," it replied, "I think one of the things required to make it was from that cave but that's where everyone found it unless they got it directly from the previous host."

"three questions remaining." the one with the orb said "make them count"

"What did you use the heart for?" she asked

It replied "I used it to help win unground duels. It meant I couldn't be disarmed just because I missed one spell."

"Did you give the heart to someone else?"

"no, I didn't."

She turned to face William "I don't have any more questions". As she said this the light from the orb began to dim before turning red and off permanently the face shifted back to form the letters that were there before

"I think we've been followed" William whispered

"what have you that impression?" she asked sarcastically as she had heard their footsteps

"the five people behind us with their wands out. They look like ministry thugs"

"sarcasm" was her only reply before she turned to face the men that followed her

"hands in the air!" A familiar voice yelled, "we have you outnumbered five to one."

"Hello Mary," Demelza said as she turned to face her. She had blue eyes and black hair like her son but hers was long enough to pass her shoulders

"you're under arrest" she yelled, "drop your wand or I will be forced to take it from you." William coughed

"are you just going to pretend I don't exist?" he said waving at them

"William?" she said, "what are you doing here?"

"Good to see you too Mary," he replied " I was dealing with the miscreant you call Demelza" something had changed about his voice making it sound deeper.

"How did you find Her?" Mary asked as she approached Demelza grabbing her wrist

"the same way you did." there was a certain hesitation in his words

"you must have received the news before us." both sides were confused "anyway, hand over the prisoner." she said attempting to sound like she had authority. William leaned in and whispered in Demelza's ear

"we have power and influence even in the ministry, if you're caught you will end up back in the village." Demelza grabbed his wrist and pulled him around so she was standing behind him pointing her wand back and forth between Mary and William then without saying anything she apparated

the next thing she knew everything went black; she was pressed very hard from all directions; she could not breathe, there were iron bands tightening around his chest; her eyeballs were being forced back into his head; her ear-drums were being pushed deeper into her skull. All ending with her standing in the middle of a forest with her arm still wrapped around William's chest. When she released him he fell to the floor clutching his chest

"that felt awful!" he said, almost yelling "what was that?"

"it's apparition," she told him "didn't you learn it in the village academy?" she sounded out of breath as she picked him up off the floor

"no, I didn't. Because unlike this generation we learned to be patient, to walk from place to place"

"We are not from the same generation. You're two hundred years older than me." they walked through the forest until at last, they saw a town

"I'm sure they are going to add 'kidnapping a ministry officer' to your list of crimes," he said. The pair laughed as they entered the town

"I'm sure I'll be able to deal with it."


	9. The Forest

Andrew stood with his foot on the line that separates the school grounds from the forbidden forest and yet something stopped him from going further. He took his wand out of his pocket and pointed it towards the darkness, casting Lumos almost being blinded by the sudden shift from darkness to light. He took one step forward and was overwhelmed by the sense of cold which seemed focused on his joints like claws grasping at his ankles pulling him deeper, he took another step, as the light from his wand began to dim he saw something move in the far distance a creature that looked like a horse running away from the edge and deeper into the forest through the trees that appeared to have fallen over. Andrew took another step forward, at this point completely engulfed by the darkness and yet he pressed forward making it only ten steps before stopping

"Andrew, what do you think you're doing?" a voice asked from behind him, Andrew turned around to see David illuminated in the light of the moon

"the heart, it's somewhere in the forest. I have to find it." even from the distance the two stood from one another he could see David's face, the disappointment that didn't seem to fit and yet was there anyway.

"you can't get it alone. You don't know how dangerous it could be." he tried to warn

"there's nothing you can do to stop me. So it's best you just go back to your bed." Andrew said as he tried to continue walking forward

"I could just tell one of the teachers where you're going." David said as he ran to the forest behind Andrew

"you don't even know where I'm going. All you know is it's somewhere in the forbidden forest." when David reached Andrew he noticed something different, David's hair was now a bright shade of red, his eyes were the same which at first glass unnerved him.

"you're not as good at hiding things as you think you are. You're going to a cave about ten minutes into the forest. That's where the heart always returns to. I've read the heart's finder the same as you."

"if you don't care about finding the heart why did you read the book?" Andrew asked

"because I didn't want you to do something stupid like get yourself killed, or worse," he paused "expelled" he spoke now in little more than a whisper "now get over here or I'll be forced to tell someone like Flitwick."

"that's not a very Hufflepuff thing to do."

"I'm a Gryffindor, not a Hufflepuff," David argued. David and Andrew now stood directly in front of one another, David was shorter than Andrew but not by much, Andrew could see the sadness in David's eyes which Andrew chose to ignore

"it doesn't matter." Andrew said walking deeper into the forest through trees with roots that dug up through the ground and stuck out nearly tripping him up

"what you're doing doesn't even make any sense. What if you die out here?" he tried to argue but at this point, Andrew wasn't really paying attention. He was instead looking at the opening of a cave that went deep enough that even with Lumos cast he couldn't see the far end. He entered David behind him both of them carrying their wands at arm's length

"what should we do if we find anything that's trying to kill us." Andrew closed his eyes, attempting to imagine a creature that would live in such an environment, he failed.

"well since we haven't really learned any combative spells I guess we could try to blind them with Lumos or throw rocks at them" his shoulders relaxed and he drew his wand closer.

The pair travelled deeper into the cave passing bits of the ground and sealing that connected forming a pillar that on closer inspection was a draw with doors made of dripping wet stone, Andrew opened one and found, suspended in mid-air a sphere made of a clear material containing what looked like light

"what does the book say about this." Andrew removed the pocket-sized book and looked at the top, searching through the sticky notes he attached to the top of each page. He found it near the front.

" _upon entering the cave I came.upon a small chamber supported by five or six pillars. Upon opening the doors that rested about halfway down the pillar and removing its contents I found a sphere. Upon holding it with both my hands I found two lines stretched out in front of me, one leading to a section of the wall the other to a door that looked out of place._ "

Andrew took the sphere in both hands and felt the heat, the hairs on his arms stood on end and he began to hear a faint buzzing noise. Just as the book described two lines became visible one blue, one red. Andrew followed the blue one which leads to the previously mentioned out of place door it was blue with red dots surrounding the edges. The handle turned with a deafening creek and the door opened, though it stopped numerous times.

On one side of the hallway that stretched out before them, the wall was made of glass, on the other, the wall was made of stone the same type as the rest of the cave, covered in a liquid that smelled nothing like water.

They both looked through the glass and found on the other side a dome-shaped room with mirrors for walls. "have you been taught any spells related to mirrors?" Andrew asked

"not from Hogwarts, but I have heard my dad mention one. A weak trapping spell most people don't use." David replied,

"why isn't it used?" Andrew asked

"because it's too easy to escape from. He didn't tell me how though."

Further down they saw another room, rectangular with five or six rows of flame that burned the colour gold. "we're going to need to break into the potion storage room in the dungeons." Andrew said out of nowhere

"why?" David asked

"look at that fire," Andrew said "it looks magical. I have a feeling we're going to need ninroot potion or powder to put it out."

"But we can't break into there and just steal from Snape." David grabbed Andrew's arm and pulled him further down the corridor

"why not?" Andrew asked struggling, but failing, to remove David's hand "what's the worst that could happen?"   
"We are talking about the same person right?" David asked as he dragged Andrew into the next section and began looking at the next room "he looks like one of those death eaters my dad talks about."

"you think he's a death eater?" Andrew asked

"no, I don't think he's one" David replied, not taking his eyes off the next section "I'm just saying I wouldn't be surprised if I found out he was one." they moved and looked through the glass.

On the other side they saw a fish tank in the centre of an otherwise undecorated room it was a large cube filled with a water-like substance though the water had a yellow tint. A figure could be seen within the tank floating, mouthing words that could not be hired through the glass

"we have to help them!" David said as he began to hit the glass with the side of his fist, stopping between each strike and looking for marks in the side of his hand

"no we don't. I'm sure she's fine. Look at her." David did what he was told and saw that the skin on her arms was covered in blue scales that faded into what looked like skin at around the elbow "she's clearly something that is supposed to be underwater" as they spoke Andrew's attention was drawn to her mouth which had not closed "she's not talking " Andrew said, "she's singing."

"what do you think it is?" David asked

"I think it's a siren." Andrew said

"that can't be a siren. I've seen pictures of those and then does look like one." David countered

"maybe the glass is doing something to change its appearance. The creator of the trap probably didn't like the way they looked."

"do you think we will see what it actually looks like when we get in there?"

"no, I think that would go against the trap. I think this one isn't meant to kill but to contain. The song and the woman in the glass, the creator probably wants people to think what you did, that's she's a woman trapped in the glass close to drowning."

"then why are the scales on her arms visible through the glass?"

"I think it's a way for him to gloat, like the creator saying 'you didn't notice until it was too late'. It's either that or the disguise they used was limited in some way." they had reached the back of the hallway and started turning around

"does the book describe how the author got past the traps?" David asked

"I think it did but it's probably best I check tomorrow," Andrew said.

The pair found themselves in the entrance room, David holding the orb leading Andrew to where the red line lead, a section of the wall with no marking to separate it from any other except the outline of a door that let a thin ray of light through. Next to the door was a bowl

"are you ready to see if they really are Bertie Botts every flavour beans?" Andrew asked as he picked up the bowl, a large silver thing with a hole in the middle that leads down a hole in the stand it was on.

"what do you mean?" David asked

"according to the book, this is a blood bowl. When connected to a door only a sacrifice of blood can remove any lock that has been placed upon it. It has, however, been theorised that something similar in taste to blood, such as blood flavoured Bertie Botts every flavour beans, would have the same effect without needing to use any blood."

David and Andrew left the cave moments later and left the forest walking through the halls of the school it was then Andrew and David went their separate ways and Andrew found the Ravenclaw common room with terrace on the other side of the door, waiting, wand in hand.

"where have you been?" he asked

"I was just walking around the castle. Trying to find the kitchen." Andrew replied

"you broke the rules," Terrence said, a hint of offence in each word "and you didn't include me. I'm disappointed in you Mr King." he put his wand away "you missed an RSDC meeting, I was looking forward to a rematch."

"We had one last week." Andrew said as he walked passed Terrence and sat in front of the fire

"no we didn't," Terrence replied "you said we would but you never showed up. Said you were busy trying to find some information."

"I was," Andrew said, "I was asked to research some magical thingamabob."

"I think you're scared." Terrence said "we're in the same defence against the dark arts class and throughout your entire time here you haven't improved since our first duel. On many occasions I've seen you hold your wand between your middle and index finger." he said, the hint of a smile on his face

"you can win a duel without using defence against the dark arts. You don't need to hurt someone just to prove you're better than them."

"you should get some sleep," Terrence said.

Andrew and terrace made their way up the stairs to the room and went to sleep waking up a few hours later. The heart's finder was no longer on his bedside table where he left it.


	10. Halloween

Andrew knew the significance of Halloween in the wizarding world and had since he was two years old. His dad and mom, however, disagreed about how it should be celebrated. So it was no surprise to him when an owl dropped a small box on the table in front of him wrapped in brown paper with a bow knot made of string

"do you know what it is?" David asked as he picked up the box and shook it

"it's probably some sweets because we can't go trick or treating this year." Andrew grabbed the box and pulled the string that held the paper together but instead of opening the knot Seemed to get tighter

"you should just rip the paper and throw it away." David suggested

"I will untie this knot." was the last thing Andrew said on the subject

"have you thought about what you saw in the cave?" David asked "any ideas about getting the ninroot?" it was then they realised then person sitting on Andrew's other side was looking at them. A girl, green eyes, platinum blond hair tied in a ponytail, black marks around her eyes.

"hello." Andrew said extending his arm "I'm Andrew King." she took it and shuck

"I'm Angela Reed," she said with a hint of an Irish accent "did you say something about needing ninroot?"

"no," David said "absolutely not." he looked down at his food

"what are you saying?" Andrew asked David before turning to face Angela "yes we are." he said, "you wouldn't happen to know anything about it?"

"yes," she said, "you could find some in a secret compartment in the supply closet in the dungeon." she looked into his eyes with a look of excitement.

The lessons that followed came and went leaving Andrew sitting in the main hall waiting David was nowhere to be seen. Footsteps could be heard by everyone as a man walked into the main hall wearing a purple turban

"Troll -- in the dungeons -- thought you ought to know." he fell to the floor unmoving. Screams drowned out all of Andrew's thoughts as he looked at the man on the floor, his chest rising and falling. It took the sound of several loud firecrackers. Throughout this, David seemed calm.

"prefects!" the calming voice of dumbledore said, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!" Thomas panicked more than the students under his care.

Thomas lead the students, Andrew at the back, through the corridors, around corners and upstairs until Andrew felt a hand grab the sleeve of his robe and pull him into a classroom. He was looking at Angla Reed.

"what are you doing?!" Andrew asked as he looked around the room

"I'm trying to have a private conversation with you." she said

"there's a troll in the castle. You should be in your dorm room" Andrew said as he made his way to the door.

"I thought the troll would be a good distraction. We could steal the ninroot while everyone is distracted by the troll." she explained as she blocked the door

"why didn't you tell me when we first got here?" Andrew asked "plus the troll is in the dungeons where the ninroot is. I don't think a couple of first-year students could take down a troll."

"I don't think the troll is in the dungeons anymore." she said, "I think I heard it earlier moving towards the girl's toilets." they both left the classroom and walked trough corridor after corridor

"let's hope no one is in there."

Andrew and Angela didn't speak as they made their way through the corridors and down staircase after staircase until they were hit by the damp, warm air of the dungeons "is this really where you sleep?" he asked. He could feel his forehead because damper by the second

"it's not that bad," Angela said, "it's not even noticeable once you enter the classroom and the dormitories."

they found the supply closet and entered, closing the door behind them, it was a small room, with about three shelves that wrapped around three sides, that had different ingredients on "do you know where the ninroot is?" she reached over his shoulder, through some of the ingredients and pushed on a slab of stone

"professor Snape always keeps ninroot hidden because of how rare it is. Apparently one of his students tried to steal them to sell." as she pushed the button, the uncomfortable sound of stone rubbing against stone followed, like nails to a chalkboard. "personally I don't believe the rumours but something must have happened." in her hands she held a small metal box sealed with a four-number combination lock

"I hope you know the code," Andrew said as Angela began moving the numbers. 1960, that was the code as if she could read his mind Angela answer his question before he even asked

"it's the birth year of someone he used to be in love with." ninroot is a type of leaf, typically long with holes around the centre in a spiral.

"There are only eleven leaves. Are you sure he won't notice?" Andrew asked

"no, he won't," Angela said "he doesn't use it very often and ninroot has a very short life expectancy, upon death it disappears leaving only ash." as they made their way to the door and tried to push it open it didn't move

"I knew you would be here." they both heard a voice say

"David? Is that you?" Andrew asked as he attempted to open the door again, it didn't move

"that doesn't matter," he said "what matters is the fact that you are trying to steal from a teacher." after that no matter what they said David didn't respond

"what are we gonna do?" Angela asked "maybe we could both push at the same time?" sweat was causing her hair to stick to her forehead. They both took the three steps required to walked to the far end of the closet, charged shoulder first into the door. It didn't more.

"Just open the door," and said "I need this." put his back against the door and slid to the dusty floor

"why do you need it?" David asked "I'm not going to let you break the law just to impress your mom." he could hear the door hinges creak. Angela and Andrew stood on opposite sides of the room to one another

"I'm not doing this to impress her I'm doing this so she doesn't lose her job." Andrew slammed his fist against the door "after what happened in that factory she's been on a final warning. She's was told to stop some witch but I thought her handing in an infamous dark artefact would help." they heard the sound a box scraping along the floor, the sound of a latch and then the door opening

"I'm sorry," David said "I wouldn't have done this if I knew that." his eyes were surrounded by red smudges, "my dad said it was bad but not that bad," he spoke with some difficulty which Andrew tried to ignore but each word sounded like a battle for David to speak.

"it's okay," he said, "let's just get back to our rooms before someone realises we're missing."

They found the stairs and started walking up the stairs when the heard footsteps follow from behind

"what are you doing out of bed?" it was Flitwick

"we got lost on our way to our dorm rooms" Andrew said

"Why didn't you follow your prefects when this whole thing started?" Flitwick responded and for a moment none of them spoke. After the silence, Flitwick continued "you're lucky the troll has been dealt with. Who knows what could have happened." the trio followed Flitwick as he lead them through corridor after corridor

"I take it we have detention?" Angela asked to which Flitwick responded

"yes, for a week. I'm also talking five points off all your Houses. So that's Gryffindor, Slytherin and," he turned to face Andrew with a disappointed look in his eyes "Ravenclaw."

After that Andrew looked at his time table and saw flying with madam hooch.

As they entered the courtyard madam hooch's cat eyes fell upon each of her students one after the other

"welcome everyone," she said "today we will be doing some general flying so if you could all place your brooms on the ground and do exactly as I do." she dropped her broom to her side, held her hand above it, at about her hip, and said "up" the broom shot up from the ground and into the open palm of her hand, she gripped the handle and sat on in taking off immediately. Andrew dropped his broom to his side.

"up" he said but nothing happened "up" he repeated holding his hand above the broom, watching it shake. He looked at the rest of the class, David was already sitting on his, so was Angela. Andrew picked his up off the ground and sat on it, he kicked off the ground and shot into the air only just gripping the handle. He saw David lift off the ground to follow him   
"it's okay," he said "you're not going to fall." with one hand David reached over and grabbed the groom while Andrew pulled himself further towards where he was supposed to be sitting. They were sitting level to.one another as they both drifted downwards

"three points to Gryffindor." madam hooch said once they landed. Andrew sat the rest of the lesson on the side Angela next to him

"hello," she said as she sat down "you look bored." she still had her broom in her hand 'i guess you haven't had any experience with brooms before?" she asked

"I was five when I got my first broom, the first thing I did was brake a lamp. Not the first lamp I've broken and not the last." Andrew said as he watched David shoot into the air

"who gave you the broom?" Angela asked

"it was a birthday gift from a friend of the family." he explained, "I don't know who it was because my mom didn't show me the card she only told me that it was a friend of hers."

After a moment of silence Andrew looked up "are you Irish?" he asked

"I was born in Ireland but have lived here for about three years," she said, "my parents thought it would be better that I lived closer to Hogwarts. What about you? Where are you from?" she asked

"I've lived in London all my life, never even left the country, my mom didn't have the money."

"I've been meaning to ask you about your mom," Angela said "she's been in the daily prophet a lot recently. Do you know why?" he sat up

"at the beginning of the year there was an attack. Some wizards and witches broke into a factory and held some of the worker's hostages. My mom and a few other Aurors were sent in to stop them but failed, my mom was the only survivor."

"How did you find out?" she asked, "I can imagine how worried you were."

"I actually didn't find out until a few days after the attack," Andrew said, "my mom asked me to get her the paper and I saw it when I was walking to her room. She doesn't even know I know about it though." Andrew took the leaf out of his pocket "this is important because it will help me stop save her job, so I would just like to thank you for helping me get it." 

"no problem," she said before asking "what are you going to use this for anyway?" Andrew pointed towards the forbidden forest

"somewhere in there is a cave," Andrew explained "me and David believe it is where we will find something called the heart of stone. I hope my mom handing that into the ministry will help."

"do you need help getting it?" she asked, Andrew's only response was nodding.

Class was dismissed


End file.
